Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Honest hurting people

I am sure many of you have people around you who are hurting and suffering from one thing or another, whether physically, mentally or financially etc. Some of you readers might even be suffering yourselves personally. My title suggests that some people are suffering HONESTLY and they might even be Christians. By hurting honestly, I mean they have done nothing wrong against others but they still are persecuted and hated for no reason, even for wrong reasons whether real or perceived. Their consciences are clear and they never meant to hurt anyone but still enemies will attack them and seek to tear them down. Maybe others are jealous of their achievements (mostly for men) or their beauty (mostly for women). Maybe people don’t like their faces bcos they remind them of someone who abused them when young. Sometimes people hate you for no reason at all. Jesus said in John 15:25 (from Psalms 35:19, 69:4 & 109:3-5 – Pls read for yourselves): “But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law. ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ Pls read whole of Jn 15:18-25 yourself. Here Jesus was talking about persecution and hatred from the world against believers, as we are not of the world and a servant is not greater than his master. Since evil men killed Jesus they will kill us also. BUT we have a promise from Christ Jesus Himself in Luke 6:22-23, “BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN MEN HATE YOU, AND WHEN THEY EXCLUDE YOU, AND REVILE YOU, AND CAST OUT YOUR NAME AS EVIL, FOR THE SON OF MAN’S SAKE. REJOICE IN THAT DAY AND LEAP FOR JOY! FOR INDEED YOUR REWARD IS GREAT IN HEAVEN, FOR IN LIKE MANNER THEIR FATHERS DID TO THE PROPHETS.” Now we can sing Hallelujah! Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is and who is to come! Jesus is coming again and very soon now! Rejoice and again I say rejoice! Let us rejoice together with Paul and the rest of all the believers even in jail and suffering! Pls read Hebrews 11-13 for yourselves. Must read ah!

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” Hebrews 12:1-3 (NKJV).

JESUS SAID TO US BEFORE HE ASCENDED TO HEAVEN : “…AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF AGE.” AMEN.” MATT. 28:20(NKJV).

THE RESURRECTED JESUS SAYS : “AND BEHOLD I AM COMING QUICKLY, AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE TO EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORK. I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END, THE FIRST AND THE LAST.” REV. 22:12-13(NKJV).

Persevere my friend to the end! Don’t give up!

Monday, May 02, 2005

Are you working 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week?

What an ept title in this era of retrenchment n fear of losing one's job n income! Many people fear losing their jobs or businesses n they will work 24/7 to ensure they won't be retrenched or be beaten by competitors. Some workers r also forced by their employers to work 24/7 whilst their employers enjoy their rest on saturdays n sundays n public holidays. Others force themselves for fear of losing out even at the expense of rest n sleep.

Has anyone of u been criticised by non-believers n believers alike who say u r being lazy by trusting in Jesus and u should worry abt your future and work hard bcos God help those who help themselves, so they rightly claim to speak for God? Yes they will quote all sorts of scripture including those in Proverbs n Paul's epistles, which say "if anyone doesn't work or is lazy, that person can't eat" & all sorts of condemnation of lazy people in Proverbs? U can find plenty of condemnation of lazy people in many verses in Proverbs & elsewhere in the Bible. So they rightly claim they r on God's side.

I am not saying one doesn't work hard but to believe what these "righteous" people say is actually in disobedience of what God says. They r the ones who r not right with God as they are not trusting Jesus & Father God for their needs. What did Christ say in the Sermon on the Mount? Pls read the whole of Matthew 5-7. I will summarise certain pts below:
  • DO NOT WORRY - "Therefore I (Jesus) say to u, do not worry about your life, what u will eat or what u will drink; nor about your body, what u will put on. Is not life more than food n the body more than clothing?" (v.25). Then Jesus goes on to say about the birds of the air & the lilies of the field-how Father God feeds them & clothes them. Then He said, "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, w/c today is, & tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe u, O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH?" So who is the greater sinner here? The so-called 24/7 hardworkers or the so-called "lazy" shamers of Christ? Do u know what my sarcastic friend said: "Jia Hong Ka", w/c means eat Christian religion literally in Hokkien?!
  • NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS - "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one & love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON(MONEY)!" (v.24) Do u know mammon is a powerful demon ruling in the heavenlies controlling the economics of this world & causing so much poverty & suffering among the poor? He is a terrible master to those who obey him, & Christians who are against him, he will bring all sorts of accusation & temptation to them to lure them away from God into idolatry of money & the pleasure it brings.
  • DO NOT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL (v.19) - Isn't money made of paper where insects can bite & gold, silver, copper, tin etc are metals where rust can destroy? Also, there r so many robberies, thefts & kidnappings daily & these r targeted to the rich u know! Why do they need bodyguards then? Only in desperate situations, do u see a crazed robber beating up an old Ah Ma or child & stealing their watches, handphones etc.
  • YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED - "But seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (v.33)

What more or less can i say? Work hard but not to the expense of family, friendship, God & health. Don't profane the Sabbath. Or God will make sure you rest. Where? In hospital lah then where?!

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Family n friends accuse me of being escapist n judgmental

I am sure Christians anywhere who really want to live for Jesus will have faced one persecution or another. I have had family n friends accuse me of being unrealistic, escapist, judgmental, lazy, useless, mad, n the list goes on and on. Why? Bcos i said there is a Resurrection n eternal life for those who trust in Christ's saving blood. Didn't Festus the Roman official also said Apostle Paul was mad bcos of his great learning in Acts? Nearly all of Paul's friends left him loving this world more than Jesus as written in his epistles. Others tried to kill him n in fact, he was killed once n went to heaven where he saw things that are too holy to be uttered, but came back to life after Christians prayed over his dead body. Do u see what happens to those who r really sincere?

Secular people n psychiatrists will tell me, i have a mental disorder n need to take medication. Prob schizophrenia or depression, as these r the two most common. They will think i m suicidal or crazy n having hallucinations. Have some of u faced this before? Don't be discouraged, as God is with you. He will never leave u nor forsake u bcos u love His commandments to love Jesus Christ n die for Him. Pray that God will touch this people's hearts with Christ's love instead of their hatred. They r not against us but against God as in Psalms 2:1-3, "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? etc.." They will face the laughter of God n His anger. Surely this generation will by no means pass away until all these things r fulfilled (ie. the judgment).

Are u lonely now? Are you in need of God's healing n friendship? Turn to Jesus. Pray to Him n cry out to God in Jesus' name. He knows your hurts before u say them. Complain as much as u want in His presence but then calm down n listen to His still small voice. Learn to forgive those who have hurt u. Let go n weep if u need to. Jesus wept also for us all n the whole world in fact. Know that Christ also faced the same temptation n persecution n much worse than us-The Cross! He is coming again for us n it's very soon now. Listen to what Jesus said to the church in Philadelphia (Rev.3:7-13) - "...I know your works. See I have set before u an open door, n no one can shut it; for u have a little strength, have kept My word, n have not denied My name...Bcos u have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep u from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I m coming quickly! Hold fast what u have, that no one may take your crown..." Could this be the first pre-trib rapture for those who r weak n yet not deny Jesus? He knows what we can bear n He will with every temptation provide a way of escape. Praise n thank you Lord! Have mercy on us!